Letters to the Editor

Greeley school parents' fury forces oil and gas driller to back down

State regulators and Greeley officials have allowed more than 425 wells inside Greeley, including these near Northridge High School. Mineral Resources has withdrawn its application to drill near Frontier Academy. (AAron Ontiveroz, The Denver Post)

An oil and gas industry proposal to drill 19 wells within 900 feet of an elementary school in Greeley ignited such parent fury that company officials on Monday backed down.

Mineral Resources Inc. officials said withdrawing their application to drill by the Frontier Academy school is an example of listening to community concerns.

They made their decision as state regulators are investigating recent fires and explosions at industry storage tanks northeast of Denver — including one last week near a different elementary school.

"We're grateful. Now our children are safe," said Trisha Golding, head of the Frontier Parents' Group, who pressed their case Thursday with Colorado Oil and Gas Conservation Commission director Matt Lepore.

"And we're not going to rest until this city and schools make sure this doesn't happen again behind our school or any other school," Golding said.

The showdown began this month when parents found out about the project. Colorado last year made a rule requiring 1,000-foot buffer zones around schools and hospitals.

But Mineral Resources had proposed drilling 19 to 67 wells as close as 478 feet from the school's playground, 828 feet from the building, before the rule. The COGCC granted initial approval in May 2013.

Last week, an oil storage tank fire in Frederick, about 1,800 feet from Legacy Elementary, put teachers and students on orders to "shelter in place."

Advertisement

Other recent incidents north of Greeley in March and near Platteville in December sent local fire crews scrambling. Putting out oil fires requires special training and foam.

Mineral Resources officials issued a statement calling their location for drilling by the Frontier school "safe and suitable" and saying the company will explore drilling at least 1,000 feet away from the school.

"This is an example of how our company and our industry continue to engage and listen to the community. While it may not be possible to accommodate every request at every location, we are committed to all we can to honor the residents of our community — including the thousands of Greeley mineral owners who have entrusted us to safely develop their property rights."

COGCC officials did not comment.

State regulators and Greeley officials have allowed more than 425 wells inside Greeley. Those include wells near Northridge High School.

Frontier Academy officials told parents they were neutral on drilling. As a charter school, Frontier has the power to make its own deals with companies, Greeley-Evans School District chief operating officer Wayne Eads said. The district collects about $100,000 a year in royalties from drilling near Northridge, Eads said. "That will definitely pay for a few teachers, special programs, field trips, athletic equipment."

State data analyzed by Western Resource Advocates showed that in 2012, oil and gas facilities were located within 2,000 feet of 32 schools and 1,000 feet of six.

Frontier parents met with Lepore last Thursday, urging state officials to re-consider their initial OK of Mineral Resources' plans. Now they are vowing greater vigilance.

"Given the danger presented by fires, chemical spills and emissions, I hope this will set a precedent," said Carl Granrud, a father of three, "so that drilling will not be done at unsafe distances from schools."